Search for climbers may not start for months

Monday

Jun 2, 2014 at 4:02 PM

SEATTLE (AP) — It may be weeks or months — if ever — before rescuers can get on the ground to search for six climbers who likely plummeted to their deaths high on snow-capped Mount Rainier in Washington state.

The bodies of the six climbers who fell to their deaths last week on the 14,410-foot glaciated peak may never be recovered, authorities say, because of the hazardous terrain.

Alpine Ascents International, the climbing company leading the excursion, identified the two guides on their website as Matthew Hegeman and Eitan Green.

The Seattle Times reported that Seattle mountain climber John Mullally was one of the six who died. His wife, Holly Mullally, issued a statement Monday saying that she had previously been on climbs organized by the company and had also climbed with Hegeman.